ars antiqua

Ars antiqua, meaning "old art" in Latin, refers to a style of medieval European music roughly from the 12th to the early 14th century. This period saw the development of complex polyphony, where multiple independent melodies are sung or played simultaneously. Composers like Guillaume de Machaut created structured, expressive compositions that laid the groundwork for later Western music. Ars antiqua is characterized by its focus on sacred music, such as the Gregorian chant evolving into more intricate forms like motets and organum, highlighting innovations in harmony, rhythm, and notation that shaped medieval musical tradition.